Sister?
by Bloody Nikki
Summary: What if when Regina cursed Rumpel, she gave him a 17 yr old sister named Sybelle. How would that change his relationship with Lacy(Belle)? How would this change his views on Henry and his own heart? And how would she handle finding out that the past 28 yrs was a lie? Rumple/Belle
1. The First Day

Note: So, I had the idea of what if Rumple had a sister while under the curse and how that could have changed some of the events after the curse was broken. The first chapter is just him getting to know her on the first day of the curse. The rest of the chapters take place after the curse is broken, meaning season two. This is not a tie in to The 7th Sister although Sybelle is in both stories. The story focuses on her relationship with Mr. Gold. So, when it reaches season 3 there will be an unhappy ending to the tale.

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The First day

Rumpelstiltskin smiled to himself as he opened his eyes and found himself on a comfortable instead of in a cage. The curse had been cast and it the Evil Queen had kept her word. He thought to himself as he slowly pulled himself out of bed. Although, he had known the curse would work and that he would have power and money in this world, it helped to be able to finally know for sure that he would soon find his boy. He only had to wait a few more years.

The Dark One heard a noise coming from below his room. It sounded like someone moving something around. That was odd. As far as he knew, he hadn't seen anyone living with him in this new realm. To be fair, he hadn't really looked at his years in this realm until Ms. Swan would come to town and the curse would be broken. He wondered what he could have missed as he left his room to find where the sound was coming from.

He traveled downstairs and slowly entered the living room area to find a teenage girl with long black hair sitting with her legs crossed. She seemed to be mediating. Rumpelstiltskin guessed that was why he heard all that noise. She must have been moving things around so that she could sit on the floor. She rose her head to look at the demon and opened her eyes as she flashed him a bright smile.

"Did I wake you?" She asked. "Sorry. Mom and dad let me mediate ever morning." She explained. "and I thought that...now that their gone I need it more than ever..."

"No, you didn't wake me." Rumpelstiltskin said as he watched her bow her head.

"I know that our father hasn't much of a father to you..." Their father? So this girl was meant to be his sister. "But I'm really thankful that you took me in when dad and my mom...it means a lot to me."

"It's not a problem." He said as he watched her brush tears from her face.

"You keep saying that Richard." She sighed as she uncrossed her legs. "But dad's death has to mean something to you."

"It wasn't like I knew him." He stated. "He was as good a stranger to me as you are now."

"Still..." She bit her lip as she pulled herself up. "You must have felt something to take me, a strange, in."

"Yes, well." He frowned as he looked her over. "Just don't get in the way and we will be fine."

"Yea," She cocked her head to the right and closed her eyes. "It'll be like I'm not even here."

"Let's keep it that way." He said as he left the room.

Xxx

Sybelle Gold. That was her name or at least the name she had under the curse. He tried to think of any Sybelle's he may have known. He drew a blank. That meant that she may not have been from his land or that she didn't matter to his plans. He watched as she started to make them lunch. It was a Saturday and she hadn't found a job yet. She hummed to herself as she danced around the kitchen.

She seemed to be a natural in the kitchen, but that didn't mean she was lower class. The curse had created new memories. It was possible that she had household skills from the curse and not her life before. She smiled at him as she asked if he needed any help with his shop. She seemed a nice enough girl. He could tell that she was the motherly type. She most likely took care of others, but he could also tell she had a touch of heart break.

"I had to leave my boyfriend to come here." She said as she brushed hair out of her eyes. "I kind of told him I didn't want him to bother me any more, that he was a waste of my time and I could do better. I was real nasty about it."

"Now, why would you do that?" He asked her.

"Richard, why wouldn't I?" She asked as she laughed the matter off. "We're young and I was moving far away. I didn't see a point in staying together. Although, he would have fought me if I told him that. So, I lied instead. Much easier."

"And you miss him?" Rumpelstiltskin asked as he watched her work.

"Very much." She said with a frown. "But Malcolm is better off without me." She touched the locket around her neck when she said the boys name. Richard Gold wondered if there was even a photo inside it and why out of all names the boys name had to be that one. "And I'm sure that my future will be better too. Besides, if it was true love, we would find a way back together. Not that I believe in true love. That's silly." She laughed nervously.

"Yes, that's silly." Rumpelstiltskin agreed.

"I think I can get work at the bakery and working at the Day Care place." Sybelle said as she changed the subject. "I promise when I save enough up in the next year I'll move out."

He knew that wasn't going to happen. The curse would keep her living with him until the day Emma Swan broke it. Although, when she looked at him with such thankfulness, Richard Gold wasn't sure if it bothered him to have her around.


	2. The Day The Curse Was Broken Part 1

Note: So, as I said the story would jump to the end of the first season and focus on Richard Gold and his "sister" Sybelle when the curse was broken. She will be trying to find balance between the two halves of herself as she deals with her relationship with the dark one and finding a place in his life. They will fight and have a hard time around each other. The story will end with the season three mid-final and they will part ways in a way that I hope will be very sad and heartbreaking.

I hope that you will enjoy the ride and review and check out my other Oncer stories The 7th Sister, Meetings and Greetings, and To The Heart of It (if you want to read more Sybelle centered works. I really do enjoy writing her. She's rather fun). I don't own the show or the characters.

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The Day The Curse Was Broken Part 1

Sybelle watched Regina shout at her brother. It was weird and she didn't understand. What were they talking about "Magic has a price' and why did the Mayor want her brother to pay it? Sybelle softly stepped into the room and glanced at her brother. He was smirking, like he somehow won a battle.

"Have I missed something, brother?" Sybelle asked as she handed a cup of tea to her brother. He looked at her and frowned slightly. Sybelle noticed that he had been doing that a lot lately, since that Swan woman came to town.

"I do care about you." He told her. "Maybe not as much as I care for my son, or how much I loved her..." Sybelle knew that the her was his ex. It was strange that he was bringing her up. "But I do care for you. I've come to see you as family. You've really become like a sister to me."

"I am your sister." Sybelle said as she brushed hair out of her eyes. "And I know that it's been hard for you to find a way to love me...or even care about me...but you've always been family to me, even before you knew who I was." She smiled softly. "But I can't help but feel something is wrong. You've been acting odd since that woman came to town. Should I be worried?"

"No." Richard whispered to her as he took hold of her hand. "You've nothing to worry about. I just want you to know that you've always a home with me. I've grown to enjoy having you around."

"I like living with you too." She smiled as she removed her hand from his. She touched her necklace and blinked a few times as tears starting building in her eyes. "You remind me of him a lot. It's made not being able to see him easier for me." Richard frowned as he thought about the curse. He still had no idea who she had been before the curse. It was very likely that she had never lost her love and that she would run towards him the first chance she got. It was very possible that she would leave his home and never look back. He had lied to her to nearly 30 years. He couldn't blame her if she hated him.

"Maybe you'll reunite with him soon." Mr. Gold said as he watched her. She seemed to be thinking over his words and her lips pursed together as if she was trying to recall something.

"No," She shook her head. "I don't think that's possible. It's like he's gone...gone to some place I can't go." She was starting to shake and her head was killing her. She started crying from the pain. "I'm sorry. I don't know why this is happening."

"It's alright." Mr. Gold said as he tried to understand what was happening.

"No, I don't think so." Sybelle shook her head. "Something is happening. I feel it in my bones. My head hurts. It's like a fog and storm are raging in there and I'm trying to break through and remember something important, something big." She shook harder as she tried to think clearly. "Dr. Hooper thinks I'm blocking something...something about Malcolm, something that will hurt me. Do you think he's dead? And I've been lying to myself about how we needed things?"

"I don't think you'd do that." He stated. "Come have a seat." He said as he pulled out a chair. "Things will be better in a few hours."

"What does that mean?" Sybelle questioned as she looked up at her brother. "You've been saying odd things. You've been weird. My head has been hurting since Henry brought his mom. She's not even really his mother. She hasn't been there for him and now everyone kisses up to her. As a..." She wanted to say mom, but she had never been a mother. "I don't get what's happening to me. It's like one of those beings in a story that has been cursed with a lot of others. She's magic and her magic senses the curse will end and she helps the hero without knowing it. But there's no magic. It's not real and I'm not cursed. I'm just sick...really sick." Tears streamed down her face.

Mr. Gold watched as she went to Dr. Hooper's office at least once a week. Her cursed self had suffered with mental issues. She could hear things and see things that weren't there. She sometimes screamed at him that it wasn't fair that she was cursed with living with the Dark One. It was after she screamed that to him that he knew she must have been a strong magic user before the curse. It was clear that her true self was trying to fight through the curse. It was moments like this, when her true self was trying to break free, that Rumpelstiltskin had to wonder what she would do when she recall who she was. He wanted to bring magic to this world, but what would she do with it.

Xxx

Henry had been cursed with the sleeping curse. Mr. Gold had known that was going to happen. Now was the time to get the savior to kill the dragon. Sybelle had composed herself by the time that the two mother's came for her brother. She watched as they demand his help. She blinked as he brought out a sword and told them strange things. She didn't understand what was happening, but felt that her headaches would stop soon. She watched as they left and waited for her brother to come to her.

"Henry is sick?" She asked.

"He'll be fine." Her brother told her.

"You gave her a sword." Sybelle sighed out. "She's gone to fight a monster and I feel like the world has gone crazier than me. This is the time to tell me the truth. Is he really going to be okay? Because I'm worried that something bad is going to happen to him. It's like I know something that's not good, and I can't recall it, but it deals with that boy...and you."

"I promise that he will be fine." Mr. Gold said as he kissed the top of her head. "Now, how about you get some sleep?"

"You'll wake me when you get back?" She asked as she slowly stood up.

"If you're still around."

She smiled at him kindly. She placed a hand on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"I'll be around." She breathed in. "For your father...he'd like me in your life. Thought I was a very motherly kind of person." She said in a dazed state. "Hm, think that's why he liked me so much, because I could just be a mommy one moment when he needed someone like that and the next I was very much a woman, strong, beautiful, and... and..." She seemed confused. "I think I forgot to take my pills. I'm doing that thing again."

"It's alright." Richard whispered to her. He was never sure if she knew which world she was talking about. "You'll feel better with some rest."

"You're right." She nodded. "I always feel better after I sleep for a bit."

"I'll see you later." He watched as she slowly walked towards the door.

"See you at home." She waved.

"Wait!" He called out to her. "Maybe, I should walk you home."

"I'd like that." Sybelle smiled at him.

Xxx

Hours later, Sybelle woke up panting. A bead of sweat slipped down her back as she tried to make sense of what she was feeling, recalling. Richard Gold was the Dark One. He was the evil imp that no one trusted and she had lived with him for years. He had treated her like family, even said as much earlier that day. Why would he say that to her? How could he look at her and say that? Was it possible that he really cared for her?

She pulled herself out of bed and rushed down the stairs. She needed to find him. She needed to understand what was happening. She had so many questions buzzing in her mind, but they all dropped when she stepped outside her door. She watched as a bunch of people started grouping together. They were shouting and screaming.

"She cursed us!" Someone yelled out. "She should pay."

"She doesn't have magic." Someone else screamed. "Now's the time to attack."

"Stop!" Sybelle screamed out. "You can't do that. You could get hurt." She stressed as she jumped inside the group to control them. They pushed her out of the way.

"What do you know?" One of them hissed out her.

"You had the good life." Another spat at her.

"You have no idea what my life was like." She tossed back. "And that's not the point." She pulled herself back up. "You need to think things through. She could have magic on her side."

"She doesn't." Someone snapped at her. "I would know if magic has about. I'm magical after all."

Sybelle bit her lip. She knew that there was no magic in this world, yet. She knew that the Dark One would change that. There was no way that he would live in a world where he didn't have power over other people. As much as she cared for her brother, even if he wasn't really her brother, he enjoyed being able to control other people. There was no way he would go to a world without magic if he couldn't bring magic with him some how.

"Just because you don't have magic," Sybelle shot back. "doesn't mean she doesn't." Sybelle wondered when her own magic would return. Magic came at a cost. If Rumpelstiltskin brought magic back for himself, he would have to bring it back to everyone else too. There was no way that he could stop that from happening.

"What would you know about magic?" Someone sneered at her.

"Fine." She screamed at the group. "Be a bunch of fools. You'll see that I was right." She snapped as she stormed off. She hated being around fools with closed minds. She swear that if she had her magic she would make them all see reason and froze in her tracks. That wasn't like her, at least not the cursed her. She touched her necklace in horror. The curse had changed her and she wasn't sure how to take that.


	3. The Day The Curse Was Broken part 2

Note: This takes place right after the last chapter. I try to follow, just a bit, the flow of the show. I hope it went well. We find out a little about Sybelle, which is good. Reviews are welcomed and would be much loved.

I hope that you will check out my other Oncer stories The 7th Sister, Meetings and Greetings, and To The Heart of It (if you want to read more Sybelle centered works. I really do enjoy writing her. She's rather fun). I don't own the show or the characters.

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The Day The Curse Was Broken Part 2

When people asked her what it was like regaining her memories, Sybelle would describe it like waking from a dream you didn't know you were having, She would say that it was like opening your eyes and realizing that you had never done something, though you strongly thought you had. People would feel comfort from her words, even if they were lies. She was good at lying.

Sybelle walked through the streets with her head low. With everyone freaking out and confused, it wouldn't make sense for her to be relaxed. She bit her lip as she glanced around. She wanted to know where Rumple was. She wanted to ask him why she had been caste as her sister. It had to have been a part of his plan. He had to be punishing her for what she had done. That didn't make sense though. He looked confused at seeing her on the first day of the curse. He didn't treat her poorly. No, it wasn't possible that he knew who she was.

"Dr. Hooper." Sybelle shouted when she spotted someone she felt comfortable being around. He glanced at her as though pained. She frowned as it hit her that he knew who she was. She could tell from the flash of fear in his eyes.

"Sybelle." He choked out. "What are you doing? Going after Miss- the Queen?" He corrected himself.

"No, I'm looking for the Dark One." She explained as she stepped closer to him.

"I see." Archie glanced at the ground. He seemed worried.

"Not to fight." Sybelle smirked. "I've questions to ask...but the strange thing is I don't think will be answer them."

"You don't think he knows who you are." The good doctor reasoned.

"I truly believe that is highly possible." Sybelle nodded her head. "But I can't be sure without making him think that there's something to know about it. Which I can't do. He may kill me." She hoped that he understood her point.

"You don't want me to say anything if I'm asked." He seemed to understand.

"Don't be stupid." Sybelle hissed under her breath. "You can't lie for shit and he's good at spotting liars. I want you to say that you can't tell him anything about me because your my doctor. I want you to feel bad, and try to be all nice and you about it. That's what I want."

"I can do that."

"I know." Sybelle smiled. "And I'll be keeping our appointments."

"I understand." Dr. Hooper sighed. "But you really don't need to."

"But I want to." Sybelle smiled brightly. "I've two different personalities in my head. The insane, but sweet girl that wants help others...and the-"

"Cold, calculating woman that won't rest until they pay for tricking you and destroying your happy ending." Dr. Hopper said in a brave tone. Sybelle was slightly taken back. It seemed the good doctor had a back bone.

"That sounds like Regina." Sybelle giggled slightly to herself. "Do you still have that crush on her? Ha, doesn't matter. You're not in her cards." She crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. "But if you ever had a chance, I'd have helped you get her. Nothing is worse than having your true love lay dying in front of you. It's really painful."

"You aren't going to-" Dr. Hooper started to ask.

"No, I wouldn't dream of taking that from her." Sybelle said as she uncrossed her arms. "Besides, they haven't harmed me and they're good people." Sybelle touched her head with a pained look. "See. There's that curse again. Taking all the bite from my bark."

"That may not be a bad thing." He pointed out.

"If we lived in the real world," Sybelle smiled softly. She glanced at the ground as she felt tears buld. "But I can't afford to live that way...not with my family. You have a good day though." She said as she walked a way.

She paused a few feet a way from him and turned to look back his way. She frowned as she raised her hand. She pointed at him and stated 'Magic is coming to town. Don't go making witches angry.' She chuckled to herself before going back to searching for Rumple. She wondered if maybe seeing the Evil Queen would be a better idea, but thought against it. People would be trying to kill her and Sybelle knew that angry mobs meant stay away.

She dash down the street. She spotted the Blue Fairy and hurried down another path. She could feel eyes on her. People were getting over the recalling process and starting to just get upset. She knew that someone would soon be stupid enough to attack her. Without her magic, she wasn't sure she had the strength to fight back. Her only hope was that her brother brought magic back.

She sighed as she realized that she had gone to Regina's after all. How could she have been that stupid? She rushed towards the crowd, because going the other would just draw them towards her. She skipped into the middle of the group and waited for them to walk around her. She frowned when she turned to see that not all of them had walked by her.

"Hey." She said nervously. She glanced at the kid before running off. She noticed that a large purple cloud rolling in. Yes, magic was coming which made her feel safer. She felt tears stream down her face as her legs started to give out. She tripped and slammed onto the ground. The cloud of smoke covered her.

Xxx

Her body felt awful. She had looked all over town and hadn't seen any sign of the Dark One. She had, instead, found angry mobs. She signed as she made her way to the shop. She blinked a few times as she watched Rumple unlock the door with a woman beside him. They looked rather close.

"Richard?" Sybelle called to him. She blushed as she realized that she was calling him by his cursed name. She had to be the only person in town to have ever called him that.

"Sybelle? What have you been up to? You look awful." The imp look her up and down.

"Ran into angry mobs." She sighed out. "Who's this?"

"I'm Belle." The woman said from behind the Dark One.

"You're not died." Sybelle blinked. "Cool."

"Regina had her locked up." The imp explained.

"No!" Sybelle shouted as her brother opened the door to his shop and stepped in. The woman, Belle, followed him in. "Don't. I think that's mean. Can't you just enjoy your happiness."

"What's she talking about?" Belle asked.

"Nothing dear." Rumple said at his true love.

"I'll get you something to wear." Sybelle said as she glared at her brother. "I've a nice dress that could fit you." Under her breath, she warned Rumple not to do anything. Magic had a price and whatever he did would cause more problems than make him feel better.

"Go, get here settled." Rumpelstiltskin stated. He didn't really much care about the price of his revenge right now. He wanted that evil queen to pay. While those two were playing dress up, he would be sending Regina a little gift.

Xxx

Sybelle frowned when she heard the door to the shop open and close. She knew that no one would dare visit him, which meant that he had left. She rolled her eyes. He would do the foolish thing. She glanced at Belle as she tried to think of what to do. There was no point in trying to stop him. He would be looking for the right moment to strike.

"Where did Rumple go?" Belle asked as she came up behind Sybelle.

"He went out to talk see if he could talk to Emma Swan. She's the savior, the breaker of the curse." Sybelle stated. "She owes him a favor."

"He isn't going to hurt her, is he?" Belle questioned.

"Nah, nothing like that." Sybelle shook her head. She wondered what Emma was doing at that moment and what kind of creature Rumple would send after Regina.. She hoped he wasn't stupid enough to send a wrath. That would be beyond foolish. "How about I show you where we live?"

"I'd like that." Belle said as she played with her dress. "I could also use a nice hot bath."

"I image you didn't get a lot of those." Sybelle joked. "I'll fix us some pizza and we can play a game or something until he gets back."

"That sounds great." Belle beamed at her new friend. "Only..."

"Only what?" Sybelle worried she had said something wrong.

"What's a pizza?" Belle asked as she bit her bottom lip. Sybelle snorted as she covered her mouth.

"Sorry. I can't believe I was worried I had upset you." Syblle laughed out.

Xxx

The next day when Sybelle was finally in the same room as her brother, she rolled her eyes as she took a seat next to him. Night was falling fast and she wondered what they should have for dinner. Rumpelstiltskin glance at his sister. He hated that she had been right. He hated that he lost his chance to find his son.

She smirked and raised an eyebrow. She was rather glad that the Evil Queen had survived. She rather liked having her around. The fact that Snow and Emma were gone was icing on the cake. She doubted that the two were died though. She felt the strong need to make him feel better.

"They're alive." She sighed out as her brother tried not to look bothered. "I can feel it."

"You're magic?"

"Something like that." Sybelle whispered as she fiddled with her shirt.

"Who were you?" He asked as he looked at her.

"I was the Lady of the Lake." She huffed out. "Vivian, they called me, but my real name is Sybelle. It's what my parents named me and ...he called me..." She touched her necklace. "That's who I am."

"That's how you know they're alive. You are linked with water and can feel through the realms for them." The dark imp reasoned.

"Yes," Sybelle smiled as she took off her necklace. "Do you have someplace I can keep this? I'd hate for it to be damaged."It's kind of my teacup."

"Yes," He smiled at her. "I can craft a box for it."

"What will I owe you?" She asked as she bit her lip.

"How about your smile and a promise to stay in the house. Belle will need someone to talk to and it's nice to have a full house." He chuckled to himself.

"I can do that." Sybelle nodded her head. "Only if you tell people that I've no where to go. The town doesn't like and I'd rather not be hated for just having a place to live."

"Fair enough." He smirked. "Lady of the Lake? Can really picture it."

"Why is that?" She shouted as she pouted her lips together to from a weak glare.

"You don't look like some great enchantress." Rumple stated.

"Hm, that hurts." She whined. "I could so great any man I want."

"I'm sure you can get some men." The Dark One chuckled.

"I don't want to talk to you anymore." She shouted in a way that he found funny. She smiled back as Belle watched the two. She slowly stepped into the room with a tray of cups and a small pot.

"You two seem close." She said.

"He's like a brother I never had." Sybelle smiled. "Which means any boy that wants to date me, but no one will ever ask me out." She laughed.

"Than they aren't worth dating." Belle smiled at her.

"You'll find someone worthy soon enough." Mr. Gold promised.

"How about you two go on a date? Bring me back some fries." Sybelle smiled as she shot up. She clapped her hands together.

"What are fires?" Belle asked.

"Yummy goodness." Sybelle beamed.

"Like Pizza?" Belle didn't know much about this world.

"Not as good as pizza, but still pretty good." She promised Rumple's true love. "You guys should go to the diner tomorrow and try all kinds of foods."

"And what will you do?" The Dark One asked.

"I will be making a potion or two." Sybelle smiled. "I haven't done a spell in ages and I need to make sure I still have the magic touch." She tapped her fingers against the table with a bright smile.

"Do you think Snow White and Emma are okay?" Belle asked as she looked at the two sibblings.

"I'm sure they're fine. They're the Charmings. Nothing can keep them down. True love and all that." Sybelle waved the matter off with a smile.

"Ha, ha," Belle laughed.

"What's so funny?" Rumpelstiltskin asked his lover.

"You two act alike." Belle pointed out. "It's like you two really are brother and sister."

"I guess it's from living together." Sybelle said as she thought it over. "We're bound to act a like in some areas."

"It's touching." Belle smiled.

"Don't tell anyone in town though." Sybelle rushed out. "Not everyone is as kind and understanding as you are."

"What she means is that, some people won't take kindly to her actions." Mr. Gold explained.

"Don't be silly." Belle frowned. "I'm sure no one would dare do anything to harm her."

"You're so cute." Sybelle smiled brightly. "Please keep her forever."

"I will do my best." Her brother smirked at her. In that moment, he didn't feel as bad about losing his chance to find his son. In that moment, he felt as though he had a real family. It felt nice.


	4. We Are Both

Notes: Well, I'm glad that crazykatt77 is reviewing, but I'd like someone else to review too. Please, please. Anyway, has anyone read To The Heat Of It ? If you have, than this chapter will make a lot of sense and explain things a bit. I wasn't going to make this story and that tie in, but I couldn't help it. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

If I took too long to update, I'm sorry. I've been working on the 7th Sister and have to rewatch season two to right this. If you read my other oncer fics, you know who I want Sybelle to be with and I would love and would like to know if you want that hinted at or shown in this story.

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We Are Both

Sybelle smiled as Belle and Mr. Gold had breakfast together. She watched them chat about the different kinds of food she could try and the places she should see. She loved to learn and he loved the idea of teaching her new things. They were happy and that made Sybelle happy. She bit her lip as she battled a headache. Under the curse, she had had a lot of headaches, but never as strong as the ones she had outside of the curse.

It was clear that Regina's dark spell had awoken something else, something that was sleeping inside her for all those years. It was coming back in flashes, pieces that didn't make sense. Since she was a child, Sybelle had always had flashes of memories that never happened. She had written them off as her imagination or a trick of the mind. Now, she felt differently. As a Nereid, it was possible that time spells could effect her differently or it could have been that she didn't want to let go of something from the other life, the one that had been written over and never happened.

"Are you alright?" Belle called out to her. "You look pale."

"I'm a Nereid." Sybelle said as she stepped into the room. "The curse, even though it's broken, has made me a bit sick. I'm not meant to be cut of from water and magic for too long. Makes me a bit weak..." She felt ashamed to be in such a state. Rumple seemed slightly upset by this knows. He had grown to look her and as such he hated that he hurt her.

"Well you be okay?" Belle questioned her as she made Sybelle sit down.

"I'll be fine." Sybelle waved the matter off. "I'll just be hogging the bath for a few days and resting a lot to absorb the magic back in. A week and I'll be my good wicked self again." Belle smiled softly at her.

"I doubt that you have a mean bone in your body." The girl reasoned.

"I'm sure I have at least one or two." Sybelle laughed off. "I mean we can't all be angels all the time." She blushed softly as she bit her lip.

"I don't want to even think what you mean by that." Mr. Gold said as he sat up. This caused the two women to giggle.

"Hn, ha ha ha." Sybelle covered her mother to hold her laughter back. "I have to go. I've my appointment with Dr- Jimmy." Sybelle corrected herself.

"Why?" Rumple snapped at her. "You don't need to ever see him again. The curse is over. You can go back-" He stopped himself short. He didn't really want her to go back to her old life. He wanted her to be a part of the life he was building. With Belle and her around, Bea would be able to see that his father had changed and was trying to be a better man.

"I've different sets of memories in my head." Sybelle sighed out. "I'd like to talk to someone that isn't you about it...and no one, before, during or after the curse, is someone I'd feel like talking to about this. My friend Lou, my only real friend in all the realms, didn't come with me here. I've been talking to Jimmy for years. I feel that it's best to just talk to the person I've been talking this all to until it's all worked out." Sybelle said. It wasn't a lie, but she still felt bad about what she was saying.

"That's understandable." Belle rushed out. "You've lost so much from this curse and you aren't in the best of health. It's not wrong to want to work things out with someone that you feel knows you well."

"Yes..." Rumple agreed as he narrowed his eyes. He realized that he didn't know a thing about her. She had said that she was Lady of the Lake in Camelot, but that didn't mean it was true. He felt the strong need to find out if she had lied to him.

Xxx

Sybelle took a seat on the sofa. She felt nervous about speaking to him. Sure he would understand what it felt like to have two sets of memories floating about in your head, but she wasn't sure if he would understand the rest of it or how this all made her feel.

"You seemed stressed." Dr. Hopper said as he sat down.

"Of course I am." She hissed out. "I've three lives floating around in my head at once. It's hard not to be stressed."

"Three?" His face tightened for a moment and than relaxed. "I don't understand. I thought with the curse you, like everyone else, would have two sets of memories."

"It seems that the curse is not the only spell I had suffered through." Sybelle huffed out as she crossed her arms and legs. She leaned back to glare at him as he gave her a look that said he still didn't understand. "It was a time spell, a rewrite of my old life to give me this one."

"But this 'new' life of yours, you don't think that it's that good of a life." He pointed out.

"When I was a child," Sybelle said as she leaned forward and sucked at her teeth. "When I was a child, my mother told me the story of Bluebeard, the man that killed all his wives. It gave me nightmares to no end. I could see him forcing me to cut my step-mothers into pieces to feed the dogs. I could him forcing me to...to cut my mother into pieces with an ax to feed the dogs after he killed her in front of me because he found out he wasn't my real father." Sybelle said with a pained look. "I would see these things in my dreams...than I met Malcolm and it all felt better. My dreams were of him and how happy we were. I dreamed of a young boy we would take care of and told him the name of that child...the name that came to me in weird dreams... I think those aren't dreams...I think I was recalling things I shouldn't because...of what I am...maybe...or because I didn't want to lose him...possibly...or it was done so last second that the caster messed up..." She didn't seem sure.

"That boy...he was the same in both sets of memories...your Malcolm?"

"He's the same in all sets of memories." Sybelle said as a tear slipped down her face. "Everyone of them, he makes me the most happy than I get to see him being ripped away from me...because I was stupid or because he was...I just lose him in all of them."

"That sound very painful." Dr. Hopper said as he removed his glasses. "But if time was rewritten, it must have been for a reason. Who ever did it...gave you a better life compared to what you had. Could it be that he made it so that you would find true love in the future?"

"No, that boy was my true love and now...he's gone." Sybelle choked out. "I've lost him."

"Or maybe not." Dr. Hopper said as he put on his glasses. "You said that he gave you a son. Is he-"

"Yes, he's alive." Sybelle blushed hard as she pulled herself together. "But I'm not sure how he would feel if he found out about...what I know...and the whole Dark One thing...it's just a mess."

"I recall when we spoke with Prince Arthur," Jimmy smiled at her softly. "You told him that 'you needed to listen to the light within your heart. Time's will make it hard to know right from wrong. Sometimes all you will see is darkness but light will come and once it has returned listen to that. Not matter what you can always find your way to the light in your heart if you are willing to give it a try.' I think you should follow that."

"If I wasn't sure that would kill me and lots of good people, I would do that." Sybelle said as she stood up. "But you and I both know that I need all the bite I can get. High morals and the right thing very time are easy to do when you don't have to kill in order to survive the big bad realms. I face things that make Regina seem like a sweet heart, and she cursed everyone and killed a lot of people."

"One day you won't have to face big bad monsters." He pointed out. "I wondered if when that day comes...what you will see in the mirror."

Her hand froze on the door handle. His words hit her heart and gave her pause. She had tried not to think about what she would do once things where over. She turned her head to the side to glance at him. She could feel his eyes burning into her back. He had watched her grow colder and colder through the years. He had watched her slowly box up her heart as she let the darkness in. She could understand his wish for her to return to the girl she once was. She had met so many people that had seen her truly loving heart and knew that they missed the old her.

"I'll see the lesser monster." She whispered, before she pulled the door open and slammed it shut.

Xxx

Belle watched as Sybelle tossed her bag onto the floor. She seemed rather sad about something. It was clear that the teen hadn't noticed Belle was in the shop. Belle took this moment as a chance to study Sybelle. The Nereid was keeping things to herself, which was understandable. Belle understood why the girl would want to keep things to herself. Still, Belle couldn't shake the feeling that the girl had a heavy weight about her. There was something beneath the still surface that made Belle believe that Sybelle had gone through a deep sorrow.

"Are you done staring at me?" Sybelle questioned as she glanced towards the other woman. A smile graced her lips. "It's kind of rude." All traces of sorrow was gone now.

"I just thought you needed a bit of space. You seemed down." Belle wasn't sure what else to say.

"Can you keep a secret?" Sybelle asked as she clicked her tongue and stepped forward. She seemed to be much darker than she had been in the morning. It reminded Belle of Rumple when he switch from being the man she loved to the Dark One.

"If I need to," Belle answered. "and if keeping it doesn't do more harm than good."

"There once was a man named Bluebeard." Sybelle said as she slammed her hands onto the table that seperated them. "He married many women and killed them all. One day he married a woman whose mother was once a fairy that had traveled through time in order to keep her magic. This fairy taught Bluebeard magic and died peacefully in her sleep a few years later. Bluebeard and his new braid had a daughter, who looked nothing like his father and had the best of her mother. Years later, when their second child was born, a baby boy, Bluebeard found out the reason why his daughter looked nothing like him." Sybelle paused as she brushed tears off her face. "She had never been child. His wife had slept with a genie and given that magical creature a little girl. Bluebeard, in his rage, killed his wife in front of the daughter that wasn't his and forced her to chop her mother into small pieces to feed to the dogs and clean the blood of her mother off the floors and his clothing."

"That's horrible." Belle gasped. "I've never heard such a tell before. Did she ever get a way?"

"Yes," Sybelle nodded her head. "She ran off with her brother when she was older and met a boy named...Peter. She, with the help of two others, banished her father to a dark place and hoped never to see him again. She returned to her Peter and the two fell in love and traveled to a new land, a land that never was. There they lived in peace. But peace did not last long. She soon fell into a deep sleep to which she would not wake and Bluebeard tricked the Peter onto a dark path with the promise that his love would be saved."

"Did he save her?" Belle felt as though the answer would be no, but still she had hope that it would be a happy ending. The look on Sybelle's face made Belle wonder what this story meant to the Nereid.

"Yes and no." Sybelle swallowed hard. "The genie who fathered the girl returned when she had woken up and Bluebeard had been freed. It is said that the child of a genie gets one wish and without knowing she wished that her grandmother never traveled to the past to keep magic. This wish meant that she would never be born and so many lives would have to change. The genie, being unable to take life, rewrote history. Her grandmother never went to the past, but his child would still be born, just not as his child. Her spirit would instead go into the child of a king and queen. Her lover, Peter, and her baby bother would be altered into the roles of father and son, so that she would be sure to return to both of them one day. Their memories of the old history removed from minds, because that life never happened. But still their story did not end happily, for time...sometimes wants things and magic...has a price to it...do you think that they could end up happily ever after if darkness took their hearts?" Sybelle asked.. There was something in her eyes that made Belle pause. Was that her story? Had she told Belle what was bothering her?

"Yes, I believe if it's true love...they will find a way back to each other." Belle said. This didn't seem to please Sybelle.

"What if one of them doesn't remember that they have a true love or...they can't love anymore...do you think that they can still find happiness?" Sybelle seemed less sure of herself. Her darkness melted away and left someone unsure of herself.

"Was that-" Belle was about to ask when the door opened. It seemed that Rumple was back. Sybelle pulled away from the desk and smiled sweetly at her brother.

"Did you work out your problem?' She asked. The man glared at her. This made her smile wider. "I heard no one can cross the town line without losing themselves. That kind of sucks." He glared harder at her.

"What's going on?" Belle asked as she watched them. It was as if the two of them knew something that they weren't sharing.

"Nothing." Sybelle stated as she picked up her bag. She went to leave the shop when he took her arm.

"What do you know?" He asked her as he tried to read her.

"I know that you want your back." She whispered softly. "I know that this curse took me from mine...and I know that if I have the chance to leave, to get back to my boys, I will take that chance." She said as she ripped her arm away from

"You're a mother?" Rumple seemed surpised to hear this. He had never thought she had children. She seemed far too young, but than he recalled his father. No one would believe that man to be his father and he looked about Sybelle's age.

"Yes," She hissed out. "I gave birth to two boys and took care of a host of other children. Your curse took them all away from me. I doubt that they will ever be able to love me again after what you've done. But look at the bright side, at least you'll get your boy back. I guess that's the price you pay, yeah? You get your boy back and I lose mine."

"You think that your pretty speech could hurt me?" Rumple sneered out.

"No, I'm pretty much sure that you wouldn't give a damn if I'm hurting." She snapped out. "That's why I'm safe in a town full of people that hate you. They know that you don't care about me." He wanted to point out that he did care about her, but thought better of it. It was bad enough that he let Belle in and look what happened to her. There was no way he would let something like that happen to Sybelle, even if he wasn't sure he could trust hefr.

"Why should I care about you?" He said in a dark tone. "I don't even know you." He sounded disgusted.

"Rumple!" Belle shouted horrified.

"It's cool." Sybelle seemed slightly hurt. "I'm out. Don't wait up for me." She said as she backed out of the shop. She rather search the town to see if there was anyone that she knew, even if it was an enemy, than deal with him. She thought about Belle. She had said things to the woman that she shouldn't have. She needed to correct this before it was too late. Shame. Sybelle rather liked Belle.


	5. Lady Of The Lake

Notes: When I made up my mind to make her Lady of the Lake, I hadn't looked at the tittles of the eps. I was pleased to find that one of them was called Lady of the Lake. It made this chapter easy to write, even more so since I didn't have to work around Rumple and Belle (They didn't appear in the ep this takes place in) that helped a great deal.

_Haleyrayxx_ Thank you for the review and the follow. Means a lot.

_ , DayDreamer007, Girlyemma95, Kiri Huo Ziv, QuothTheRaven666, Trekki, and jrfan2383, _thank you for the follows. Means a lot to think some one is waiting for an update.

If you love Sybelle, To The Heart of It is a good story that focuses on her and somehow got tied to this. Meetings and Greeting, a series of one-shots, is also a good read. The 7th Sister shows a very dark Sybelle, a kill or be killed kind of girl. She's the kind of girl that can stand toe to toe with Pan. I rather like writing that story and this one. It's like I get to write her really rough and than get to write a softer side to her. I would really like to do that with Pan one day... Enjoy.

* * *

Lady of the Lake

Sybelle kicked off her shoes and slowly stepped into a fountine. She raised a hand and welled the water to move. She was trying to make a portal, but none would form. She screamed as she splashed about in the water. This wasn't fair. This wasn't how things were meant to be. She wanted to go home. She wanted to hold her boys again.

She dropped her head as she fell onto her knees. She sobbed out as she felt helpless. Malcolm! She had lost him twice. She had lost their son. She had lost most of her powers. She had lost everything that mattered to her. Sybelle recalled the stories her mother told her. She recalled that the villains ever get a happily ever after, but she hadn't been the monster, the villain when everything was taken from her.

She dried her eyes as she picked herself up. She was soaking wet, but she didn't care. In fact, it was good for her to be near water. It made her feel healthier. She grabbed her shoes, but didn't put them on. There was no need to. She didn't care if she hurt her feet. She spotted Dr. Whales looking at her, much like a wolf looks at a lamb.

She sighed as she lifted up her hand and tossed him back. Why was it that she could do something like that and not open a portal out of here? She didn't understand it. It was almost as if something had locked her in this land, but why would anyone, or thing, do that to her. She saw no reason for her sisters to keep her in this realm.

"Are you okay?' She heard a small voice ask her. She turned around to find Henry looking up at her. She smiled sadly as she thought of her first born, the child she had had with her Malcolm. This boy reminder her of him a great deal at times.

"No," She shook her head. "I think I am." She cried out. "I lost my happy ending...years before this curse, but I thought I knew how to get it back. I thought that by being a good mother and working to..." She didn't want the boy to see her like he saw his mother. It would do him no good to know that she felt Regina and her were a lot alike. "It doesn't matter. This new me...she's different...she's new and old at the same time. I've been here before and no where near here at all."

"I don't understand." Henry pouted.

"I'm old." She smiled softly as she placed a hand on Henry's face. "Old enough to be the Dark One's mother. I lost my love just before Rumpelstiltskin became a thought. My love...I watched him slowly fade away in my arms and weeks later found myself carrying his child. I was so mad, so lost, and confused as to what I should do. I wanted to hurt everyone. I wanted to cry and never stop. I wanted to make those that took him from me pay. That fire burned inside me...it just burned and burned until I was in this town and I had no idea that I had lost my love...the way I did. My clear path was taken from me and in place was this madness and the belief that I had let me go for his own good and for my own good. I thought maybe one day...I would return to his side. I had hope that of true love and that's been taken from me. Your mother...she gave me...a new life, a new chance. Sure it had it's problems, but I had hope of true love waiting for me. I was able to rebuild some of what I lost inside. Now the fire was something new to burn out of me. So, I'm feeling this both old and new."

"You make it seem like the curse was a good thing." Henry didn't get. "But it's a curse."

"Let's say that there's a curse...it could take your life or it can be rewritten so that you forget all about your love and all the good that you've done for years beside her, because the price of curing that curse is that you can't be with her. If you do rejoin her, you'll die unless you wait a very long, but you know you can't wait that long." She bit her lip. "Let's say that I'm your love and I take your memories of me away because I don't want you to die and I know you'll come find me if you know about me. I cursed you to forget about me so that you can live. Did some good come from that curse? I would like to so." Sybelle explained to the boy.

"But he could move on, find a new love." Henry pointed out.

"But he would be alive." Sybelle felt like crying. "That's the important part. You're mother, evil as she is, would rather have her loved ones alive and not knowing who she is than have them dead."

"She doesn't love anyone." Henry truly felt that his mother didn't truly love him. She had tried to take him by force. How could someone like that love him?

"She loves you." Sybelle smiled. "If she didn't, she wouldn't have taken you...and she wouldn't have let you go because it would make you happy. You're young." She patted the boy and stood up taller. "My son was the same way when he was little. Though, it wasn't my love he doubted. It was the ability of others to love him. He doubted to trust love."

"What happened to him?" Henry asked.

"He grew into a man and he made mistakes. In his mind, he had two dreams. One was for a beautiful kingdom where magic wasn't looked at as evil and the other was for me to find true love again. I think, though impossible as it may sound, he always wanted me to be with father again."

"But his dead now." Henry pointed out.

"That's not true." Sybelle sounded like a huge weight was on her. "He lives on. Just in a different form than the one I knew." She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to think of her past. She raised her hand to her lips and stared at Henry. "You know that you could be a big help to our grandfather. It's a shame he doesn't us you. I knew a boy, a very brave boy, that would often run off and do things even when people didn't want his help. You know what happened?" Henry shook his head. "He ended up being very helpful." She giggled. She touched her neck and remembered that she no longer had her necklace.

"So, you think that I should just run off and help?' Henry beamed at her.

"I never said that." She smiled softly. "But I think...it's something to think over. Lots of heroes have to do things when other people would rather them stay at home where it's safe." She smiled as she stepped backwards. The softness in her eyes were gone and she seemed less like a mother and more like a thrill seeking teen. "Take care. Say hi to your mother when you see her." Sybelle doubted that he would remember that part. The poor boy had an idea forming in his head and it was just what she needed get inside the Queen's vault.

Xxx

Hours later, Sybelle stepped into a small flower shop. She couldn't ever recall being there before. She didn't care much for flowers and Rumple wasn't a man that did nice things for people. She paused in front of a row of roses. They seemed pretty. She smiled softly as she heard someone coming behind her.

"They're lovely." The man stated.

"Yes, they are." Sybelle smirked. "I was thinking your daughter would love them. Is she a rose person?" Sybelle asked as she gave a look that said she wasn't comfortable with asking such a question. "I wanted to welcome her to our home."

"My child is gone." The man said as tears formed in his eyes. "You've no right to say such evil things."

"But she's here." Sybelle sounded confused, though she wasn't. As a Nereid, she could not lie. Instead, she had to use tricks to get around it, such as the way she used her voice or giving half truths. She imagined that some people would wonder how she could live her life that way. She really couldn't recall a time when she ever lived another way. This was her normal and it felt nice being normal again. "She's been staying with me and my brother...well, in the curse he was my brother. I'm not really Rumpelstiltskin's sister."

She watched as the man's eyes widened in horror. It was clear that this news shocked him. She understood that most people wouldn't know she was Mr. Gold's sister in the curse. She kept to herself and he never gave away much about himself. She guessed that was a good thing. It made this blow very hard on the man. He had thought Sybelle was a sweet young thing. He had no reason to doubt her kindness and her words. Image meant everything when hiding the truth up with an act.

"She's with that monster." He couldn't believe it.

"I don't think she'd like that." Sybelle said as though she couldn't believe he said it. The truth was that she didn't. Monster people would just bleach in fear. "She rather thinks they're in love." She laughed nervously. She had no idea what he was going to do, but she knew man well enough to know that it would cause some issues for her brother and Belle.

"With that beast?" He shouted at her. Sybelle stepped back. She wondered if this man would hit her. She didn't want to be attacked, but it wouldn't hurt her plan if she was. She closed her eyes and hoped he didn't hit her in the face.

"Please don't hurt me." She rushed out as she tensed up. Spirits, she sounded so helpless that she was sure it gave the man great pause. She was rather glad that her best friend in all the realms hadn't been taken by the curse. She was sure that he would be trying not to laugh as she played the defenseless young girl.

"I'm sorry." He whispered as Sybelle started to cry.

She rushed past him and out of the shop. She ran down the street and didn't stop running until she slammed into a person. She glanced up to see that it was the bug. He frowned at her as he gave a knowing look.

Sybelle pursed her lips together and brushed the tears from her face. She straightened her back slightly. She wasn't sure what to tell him. It was clear that he knew she was faking. She hated that he could see right through her, hated that he knew the kind of person she was deep inside.

"What are you doing?' He whispered as he eyed the street.

"I was going to get flowers." She sighed out as she pulled away from Archie. "And the florist happened to be Belle's father. He didn't know she was alive or in love with Richard. He get very mad and I thought he was going to hit me. So, I started crying and asked him not to hurt me in hopes that it would give him some pause in his attack. It did."

"Why did you tell him about Belle?" He was questioning her with narrow eyes.

"I wanted to know if she liked roses. Thought I'd a buy a few to welcome her and stuff." Sybelle hated talking to those that knew her. They knew that they needed to read every word that she said in order to get to the truth.

"And stuff?" She knew that word would bit her in the ass.

"I fight with Rumple." Sybelle thought talking about something else would imply that was the stuff she had been talking about. "And it's clear that no one knows me...but you and maybe Blue. I've never gone to church or been in the same room as her. It's possible she doesn't know I'm here. I could be a different person here. I don't have to be like Regina here."

"You thought over what I said." He seemed surprised to hear this.

"Don't give me that look." She snapped at him. "This has nothing to do with you. I saw Henry the other night and he...he seemed to believe that his mother couldn't love him, but thought that I was...good... I don't want to think that my youngest feels what Henry feels for Regina."

"It's a start." He smiled. "You'll see that revenge and getting back at people isn't the way."

"I doubt that." Sybelle snorted. "But I can at least be a bit nicer." She would give him that much.

"That's a good start." He smiled.

"I'll get going. Have somewhere to be." Sybelle beamed. Once she was sure he was no longer watching her, she formed a deep frown. She hated when he tried to get in his head. He was just a bug and had no place trying to change her. If he wasn't just some bug, Sybelle would think of a way to make him suffer, but he was nothing to her or her plans to try and leave this land. She needed to leave before this land changed her too much.

Xxx

Sybelle smiled as she hid herself in the graveyard. She had thought the Queen had used her father's grave to hid the vault. She had always been right in thinking that Henry would be brave enough to steal his mother's keys and look for something to use inside. This meant that Sybelle was able to slip inside. She hoped that the queen wasn't stupid enough to cast a curse without making sure she had a way to get back home.

Once David took Henry away. Sybelle was free to look for another that could be of use. Sybelle frowned after she finished her search. There was nothing she could use to send her back home. Regina had been a fool. What if someone blow up the town or something? Didn't the Evil Queen understand that you always needed to make a way out?

Sybelle huffed as she thought about returning to her brother's home. She didn't really want to and she knew that she could con a number of people into letting her stay with them, but that just made her feel uncomfortable. At least with the imp, she knew no one would attack and she had magical items close at hand. She rolled her eyes as she slowly left the tomb for the place that was no where near her home.

Xxx

"Where have you been?" Richard Gold screamed at Sybelle as she shut the front door behind her. He seemed rather upset. Great, she had to deal with this much.

"I've been out." Sybelle said in a bored tone. "Thought you wouldn't care, so I didn't check in." She knew that her answer would piss him off, but she didn't care. He didn't have the right to be cross with her, not after what he said. "Besides, if you really wanted, or cared, to know where I was you would have used magic to find out. But you didn't. You just snogged your girlfriend all day. So, don't shout at me." She hissed. She caught sight of Belle and smiled brightly. "Hey Belle. Don't think because I'm upset with him that I'm mad at you. I still think you're super sweet and like you."

"Thanks." Belle blushed as she brushed a hair behind her head.

"No problem." Sybelle giggled as she started to race up the stairs. "I'm going to bed now. Don't keep me up."

"How dare you speak to me like that." Rumple shouted after her as he stormed after her. Who did she think she was? No one talked to him that way. "Who do you think you are?"

"I think that I'm the Lady of the Lake." Sybelle hissed as she turned to face him. They were in a tight hallway. "I think that I'm a mother cut off her sons. I think that I've played the role of your loving, supportive sister for years. I was picked on and teased all I had was you to make me feel better. I think I spend a good part of the last thirty or so years believing I had lost my mind. You knew that I hadn't. You knew that I must have had powerful magic, and that you know I'm a Nereid you understand why the curse didn't work right with me. The water connected me to the realms with magic. The water called to me to recall who I was. I suffered so much under this curse. You asked me to stay here." She waved her hand about in the air. "You said you cared about me. You wanted me to know that before the curse broke and I knew who I was." She stood tall and pushed him back. "Than you go and tell me that you don't give a damn about me. You don't care one bit. You're nothing but a fucking monster and a lair. I can see why your papa left you."

A loud slap could be heard through out the house. Sybelle stood frozen in shock. Had he really just slapped her? He had never dared to touch her before. He had been upset with her a number of times, but he never hurt her. She quickly recovered and stared at him with disgust.

He couldn't believe that he had hit her. He wasn't that kind of person. He had done a lot of evil things, but he never did something like this before. He had hit her so hard that she was bleeding. She touched her lip to remove the lip and her eyes grew dark. Sure she had gone to far in bring his father into their argument, but what she did hadn't been the worse thing ever done to him.

In her rage, she called further her magic and pushed him backwards. She would be damned to the darkest parts in Hell if she ever let someone get a way with daring to hit her. She waited for him to recover, to pick himself up, and attack her. She watched as he just stared at the ground. It seemed at his reaction had hurt him too.

"You want me gone." She spat out. "Than I'm gone." She said as she jumped down the stairs. "It's been nice Belle. I'll see you around."

"Don't go." Belle pleaded. "Just stay. I'm sure you two can work things out. He's work and you're hurt. You just need to breath and talk this through."

"There's nothing to talk through." Sybelle felt like crying. "I'm not his sister. I'm nothing to him. When I look into his heart, when he said those nasty things, I didn't see a man that wanted me in his life. I saw someone that wanted me as far a way as possible. He doesn't want a sister and I'm not going to force one onto him." Belle seemed unsure what to say or do. She knew that Sybelle leaving wouldn't help matters, but her staying wasn't much help either.

"We can talk about this in the morning." Belle whispered. "Don't make up your mind just yet."

"Okay." Sybelle nodded her head. "I'll come get my things and you...you can try to talk to me. But I'm not moving an inch if he doesn't move. I'm not going to do all the work." She was shaking with rage and sadness.

"I'll talk to him." Belle whispered. "He'll listen to me."

"See that you do." Sybelle choked out before she left Belle to deal with the broken man upstairs.

Belle moved slowly up the stairs and saw that Rumple had picked himself up. If anything had broken, he had fixed it. He seemed deep in thought and Belle wasn't sure what to say. She watched as he glanced around. Belle moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"She...I..." He didn't know what to say. He had taken everything from Sybelle. He had taken her from her home, her children. He had taken away her sanity He had nearly killed her and yet, when he asked her to stay, she stayed. She didn't have to. She could easily find a new home, but she had stayed with him. In turn, he had hurt her again. He couldn't blame her for being upset with me. That had been the plan, but he had never meant to hit her. He hadn't known what came over him. In that moment, when she brought up his father, all he could see was black. He could picture her smiling at him sweetly as she ripped his heart out and he lashed out.

"It's okay." Belle whispered. "It will be all okay. We have each other. We'll think of something."

Yes, they had each other. They could write this wrong. It was all going to work out in the end. He had to Belle to help him keep his sanity. He turned in her arms to kiss her knowing that things would get better with her by his side.

Xxx

Sybelle didn't know why she had gone there of all places. It wasn't like it was a welcoming place and yet there she was in the middle of a graveyard. She frowned as she took a seat and thought over her three sets of memories. She couldn't keep bouncing between all of them. It was driving her crazy. She would keep the memories of this version of history and the ones under the curse, but she didn't need to other set. She had to remove them from her mind without touching the other two.

She couldn't bring herself to do it. She wanted to, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. As bad as the memories were, they held some good moments in them. Their first meeting, the first time he kissed her, the promise that they would find a way back to each other. He had promised to come back to her. Her mind replayed that moment over and over. The genie gave them new lives, but the life of her Malcolm was strange. There were things that didn't make sense. \

Her eyes narrowed as she thought about them. A small danced on her lips. Those memories that were bleeding through weren't meant to make her go crazy or rethink the path she had set out on. No, they were meant as a sign. They were meant to give her hope. Instead of trying to get home, she would have to work on creating a new plan before. Than, when the time was right and she had a clear plan, she would leave this town to find her allies and work on the ground work of her plan. She would get the throne and her true love back all in one go. She smirked with joy. She had something to work towards now. She loved having goals. They made her feel less losted.

Sybelle stood up and created a tomb stone with something written on it. She realized that this had been the real reason she came to the graveyard. She created a signal rose and placed it near the stone. She kissed it and let a small tear fall down her face. He hadn't been her son, but she had raised him. Lancelot had been a good made and his death had hurt her. She only felt sad that she hadn't noticed it sooner.

"I will make Cora pay for what she has done to you." She promised the tomb stone. "You have my word." Now, all she had to do was get into the same realm as the Queen of Hearts and she would make her suffrer.


	6. The Crocodile

Notes: I would like to thank those that reviewed. It means a lot to me to talk to those that enjoy what I'm writing. This chapter was made in part as a thank you to them, and to those that follow this fic. This gives insight to the backstory. So, there's that, I don't own anything dealing with this show.

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The Crocodile

Belle was shocked to find Sybelle waiting for her in the kitchen the next morning. She wondered why the girl kept lashing out than softening all the time. It didn't make sense, but than again a lot of people in town weren't acting normal, per-say. Belle stepped carefully into the room as Sybelle slowly looked towards her.

"Your back." Belle smiled tightly.

"I said I would be." Sybelle stated as she crossed her arms. She felt so cold, so alone in that moment. This wasn't her home. This wasn't even her world.

"Yes, you did." Belle nodded her head.

"I'm sorry." Sybelle whispered as she took a seat. Belle seemed unsure what to say or do. She decided that it was best to let the Nereid go on. "I normally have more control over myself. It's just this town...this place...this curse...it's torn me apart...and I'm piecing things back together as best I can. The Bug says I should focus on what makes up my core...he said it to me last night when I woke him up in a panic..."

"Do you know what hat core is? Have you decided?" Belle questioned as she moved closer to the other woman.

"I decided that I'll let my core be...motherhood. I may not have my children or wards, but in all memories...all versions of me...I was motherly...I took care of others. That's what I'll use to rebuild myself..." Sybelle explained.

"That sounds like a great idea." Belle beamed. "I think that Rumple and you can really reach an understanding if you-"  
"I wasn't always a nice person...in my other life...in my true life." Sybelle went on as she ignored Belle. "They say that magic is evil and it corrupts the heart. I never believed that. I grew up with magic, all around me. It was beautiful and pure, full of light. I wasn't always nice, but I wasn't always evil even I used it. Rumple...I doubt he's ever used it for good, for anything other than gain. I know he can't live without magic. I knew he would bring it back as soon as the curse was broken. So, I've a question for you. A very important one." Sybelle snapped her gaze onto Belle.

'What is the question?" Belle didn't know what Sybelle would say next. She always acted so strange. Belle wondered if this had something to do with how long she had lived. She had seen Rumple act like this before. Or could this be because Sybelle and Rumple were nearly brother and sister? Maybe, they weren't by blood, but they did behave like family when they weren't fighting.

"How can be sure that you can trust him with magic when he's never done anything good with it before?" Sybelle sounded sad, quiet. She sounded like a mother worrying about the future of a small, sick babe. Belle was taken back by this question and by her manner. Sybelle may have looked seventeen, but her voice, the way she held herself, that told another story.

"He has me now." Belle swallowed. "I know that he's turning into a good man. I can see it."

"I'm not sure I do." Sybelle said as she stood up. "It's not that I don't love him, but he drove his son a way. He drove you a way and he either hates...or is doing the his best to make me leave. I don't know if he thinks we make him weak, he fears letting someone in, or he knows he can't be the dark imp and have us. But it's not health for him to have his core as magic or the burning desire to bring his son back no matter who gets hurt." Sybelle sighed. "You remind me a bit of my granddaughter. My oldest had her, but I raised her and some of her friends. They were my boys. I watched Shock try to save someone from themselves...but what I've found that a person can't be saved from the darkness...if they don't see a problem with living with it."

"I thought you knew your brother." Belle stated in a strong voice. "But I was wrong. If you can't see that he's changed, that he doesn't want that life anymore, than you really don't care about him."

"Believe what you will." Sybelle sighed out. "I'm sorry that we couldn't be friends. I'm sorry that I can't be his sister...if his heart isn't ready for something like that. Because I'm broken and I don't need someone to break the rest of me."

"Your wrong about him." Belle shot back. "He isn't like that."

"Time will tell." Sybelle smiled kindly as she walked out of the door with a gym bag. Belle couldn't help, but feel doubt enter her heart.

Xxx

Archie didn't understand what was going on. He watched as Sybelle pushed her way into his apartment and tossed a bag onto his coffee table. She pouted slightly as she glaced around. She had only been there once before, last night in fact, and hadn't really looked around. She had been in a hurry to talk things out, to understand herself, because she felt like her head was going to burst.

"I'm staying here." Sybelle said as she scanned the room. It was small, but better than nothing. "I can't stay with him anymore. He drives me crazy and I need my mind if I am going to deal with my sisters. There is a war waiting for me once I leave this realm and I need to ready for it."

"You don't even know if you can go back." Archie pointed out. "And there isn't much room here. Maybe, there's someone else you could stay with?'

"I'll tell the queen that you saw her naked if you don't let me stay here." Sybelle warned.

"That had been a mistake...and it wasn't like I was trying to see her. I didn't know she' be bathing in a lake, outside." He blushed like mad as the girl smiled.

"Like that matters to her." Sybelle laughed as she took a seat and crossed her legs. "Now, aren't you going to tell me not to kill my sisters?" Sybelle knew he knew the story of her family. She was the youngest daughter of a great Nereid king who had seven daughter in total. War had broken out with his brother and caused the death of many. Her parents hadn't made it. Peace had finally been reached, but at a cruel price. Sybelle and her sisters had to kill each other off after they all gained mates in order for a new ruler to be crowned.

"No, some people...they don't deserve to live." Archie seemed sad to say that, but they both knew it to be true. "Though, there are some good ones. Some that shouldn't have to die."

"I promise I will do my best not to kill the few that have good hearts, but it's been a while. They could have lost the light..." She sharply inhaled as she closed her eyes. "I know you don't want me here...but you're all I have. I don't have anyone else that knows me here...and those who would find that the truth...of all the things I've done...they would see me as a monster, another Regina. I have no where to go where I feel that someone understands me."

"I understand." Archie nodded his head. He had known Sybelle for a long time. He watched her take in children, raise them, and let them die for her. He watched her capture nightmares, gamble with peoples lives, and become known as the Boogieman. Even though she saved children from fear rather than gave them, he watched people call her evil. Yes, she had done a lot of bad things, but she did a lot of good through the bad, through the darkness. She had to become a monster to built monsters.

"No. you don't." Sybelle sighed out. "You think me noble...The Lady of the Lake, the woman who save King Arthur's life and mother of Merlin, but I'm not noble. I did a lot of things to get stronger, to kill my sisters, because they took my Malcolm from me. They made me lose him because we had true love and they feared it. I'm not noble. I'm the Evil Queen and my Snow White just happens to be evil sisters that lust of power instead of having a good heart."

"I think..." Archie started out, unsure of himself. "Regina has Henry and you have Merlin. There must be a way to reach him."

"I'm weak." Sybelle threw her head back. "It's the only reason I'm still in town. I can't make a portal out...but maybe, I can use the water ways and my blood...it could work... Would you come with me?" She peaked at him with the corner of her eye. He looked conflicted.

"This is my home. This is where I belong." Archie reasoned. He hoped that she didn't lash out and destroy his home.

"Because the Blue Fairy told you so?" Sybelle shook her head in amazement. "It's whatever. Forget I even asked. It was stupid." She stood up to look at him. "But know this BUG," She spat out with a grin. "I'm a princess and am taking your bed." She picked up her bag and waited for him to show her the way.

"I guess that's reasonable." He frowned as he looked at her. "You are my guest and all. I do worry about what Mr. Gold will do when he finds out."

"He won't find out." She said as she rolled her eyes. "He's busy looking for Belle." Archie narrowed his eyes. She waved her hands in the air to stop his line of thought. "I haven't done anything to her, yet. I just told her that maybe he isn't someone ready to give up magic and change when I knew he was going to be working on something magical and would push her a way if she happened to find him."

"Why would you do that?" He shouted at her. "I thought you were trying to be nicer."

"I am!" Sybelle shouted back. "She needs to know what kind of man he is, not the kind of man she wants him to be. He cursed a whole town for one person. That's messed up."

"But she isn't hurt?" Archie asked much to her unhappiness.

"I didn't do anything that I thought would hurt her. I just said some stuff to cause trouble. She'll be fine and he will learn a lesson about pushing people away and using magic so much."

"What will you do if something bad happens?" He sounded in pain.

"I'll find a way to fix it."

xxx

Sybelle was reading a book outside the bakery. She was amazed that people still went there. She didn't know how people trusted an evil, child eating witch around their children She wouldn't let her children shop there and they were full grown man. Though, the witch did make wonderful cookies. Maybe, it was worth the risk.

"Sybelle," Rumple called out to her. She pulled herself from her book to look at him. Was he really talking to her like nothing happened? She blinked as he lumped towards her slightly.

"Have you seen Belle?" He asked her full of worry,

"Not since I got my things." She didn't understand what was going on. He should have been able to find her by now. "Have you asked anyone else?"

"They don't seem to want to help me." He sounded almost defeated.

"They don't really like me either." Sybelle said in thought. "But Charming they love and he won't turn down helping a lady in need."

"I can't ask him." The Dark One sneered.

"While we can try some spells, but magic works differently here, there's no telling how it may hurt her." She touched her chin in thought. "I may know a wolf or two that may help, though that isn't the best idea since they may have forgotten how to control themselves."

"I think that the prince would be better than wolves."

"Than ask for his help and I'll try to see what I can do without harming her." Sybelle said as she jumped from her chair. Archie would never let her live this down if something happened.

Xxx

It was dark out when she saw Richard Gold again. He smiled at her strangely as he stepped towards her. Sybelle had been searching the woods no luck,

"We found her." He said,

"You don't seem happy." Sybelle said as she looked him over. "Is she hurt?" She wasn't sure if her heart could take hearing the answer.

"No, she's fine." He sighed out. "She's just mad at me."

"What did you do?"

"Something stupid." He sighed out. "I'm use to people hurting me and leaving. I'm use to people trying to use me. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have treated you the way I did. That was wrong."

"It's cool." Syblle smirked as she cocked her head to the side. "It's what families do, They fight and stuff. Just know that I care...and I'm here if you need me."

"Will you be moving back?" He sounded hopeful.

"No, I can't." She shook her head. "I need my space to think and stuff...but I'll visit when I can."

"Well, with that." He sighed out as he straightened his back. "I'll take my leave. I need to patch things up with Belle."

"That you do." Sybelle laughed. "Cuz she's an amazing person. Tell her the truth and she'll understand...maybe even give her a room of books."

"I just may do that." He smiled at her.

Xxx

Archie walked his dog down the street. He noticed that a woman was standing further down the path. She seemed to be waiting for someone. Archie looked behind him to see if anyone was coming. His dog barked a few times and raced forward. This caused Archie to nearly fall on his face. He went to catch himself, but felt a force do it for him.

"Careful there." Sybelle laughed as she moved towards him. Her hand was raised in the air. It was clear that she had used magic to help him. He frowned as she gently let him go. "Seem the dog likes me more than you."

"Pongo likes everyone." Archie said as he dusted himself off. "What are you doing out this late?"

"I was waiting for you." Sybelle said as she keeled down to kiss the dog. "You keep to your schedule like a Nereid to water." She seemed a bit sad as she stood back up.

"I heard what happened to Belle."

"Yea...I guess I haven't...been as nice as I would like." Sybelle swallowed hard. "Though, I han't planned on any of _that_ to happen."

"I know you didn't." Archie said as he took Pongo's leash. "You wouldn't do that to true love. Not after what you went through."

"True." She nodded her head as they started to walk down the path.

"I sense you have more to say."

"I do." She huffed out. "Rumple asked me to return to the house and I said no."

"I guess I'll learn to get use to the sofa." Archie sighed out.

"No need." Sybelle said as she lifted her arm towards the woods. "I'll be staying in there for a few nights. I just need to really connect with who I am. I thought I'd make my core motherhood, but what happened today I see that's only a part of me. I may not be his sister, not by blood, but I feel like my spirit is. There's things I have to work out, because a part of me hates him."

"I understand. You-"

"No, you don't. He took my children from me, my home, my powers, my mind. The day he was born...I visited him and held him in my arms. He was the littlest babe, helpless, and not mine. Those big, big eyes... full of tears...pulling at me... pulling away...my joy...my love...my happiness...pulling away any hope of making my life into something better for myself, this pink naked, squirming, little larva, that wanted to eat my dreams alive and never stop."

"You thought about killing him?"

"I had thought about. There was so many different ways I could do it...but as he's heart beat fulled my ears...I thought about how my son looked the day he was born...how small he seemed and how alone I felt." Sybelle paused look at her hands. "He looked like my boy...he and my boy had things in common...and the blood inside him...his father...I couldn't do it, even knowing he would take everything from me. I look him and I think about all that he's done to me...this little babe that stole my happiness...Because if he wasn't alive, I would have a chance to regain my lover... now, true love is gone for me and Rumple...he has it."

"You worry that you may do something to take that a way from him." Archie guessed.

"Yes," Sybelle nodded her head. "That's way I need to go for a bit...I need to just let go of this...pain. I need to let go of my past and I can't do it in town. So, three days...and I'll come back. If not, send a someone..."

"Yes, of course." Archie nodded his head. "Three days."

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End Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and send a review. I have finished writing the next chapter of 7th sister and need to do a read through before I upload it. I haven't thought up of anything for Meetings and Greetings that good, but will try to have something by the end of the month. Hope to hear from you.


	7. Into The Deep part 1

Notes: I have been working on different projects right now. I'm going back to finish up my Paranorm fic and I'm starting a Helix one called Whispers In the Dark, which is a kind of drama/love story between The Scythe and my oc Elizabeth. It has flash backs to over 300 years ago and the rest is in present day. I think it'll be fun. Planning for that to be a strong T.

On to this fic news, Into the Deep will be an arch that has Sybelle only be in flash backs for awhile. Everything dealing with anyone else is in the present time of storybrooke. This gives me the freedom to write more on storybrooke while making Sybelle into a stronger character. I hope that it works out well.

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Into The Deep Part 1

Sybelle found someplace in the forest that she was sure no one would find her. She was sure that no one would dare go this fair into the woods. The only way to let go was to get through and she would get through this by going to where it all started. The day she meet _him. _Sybelle closed her eyes to let the memories over take her. She entered a deep sleep as she felt herself being pulled back to that fateful day.

Xxx

"Felix!" Princess Sybelle called as she stepped out of her carriage. Her hair was done up in a tight bun and her clothes looked to be made of the finest cloth. She frowned as she glanced around. They were miles away from the castle. There was no reason for them to stop anytime soon. "What is the matter?"

She moved to the front of the carriage to find that all her men were fast asleep. This made little sense to her. They would never fall asleep on duty. What was the meaning of this? She raised a hand to see if she could use magic to find the cause of these events. A sleeping spell had been cast and she knew at once that Felix would be upset with her for not running sooner when he woke up.

She bit her bottom lip as she slowly stepped back. She had to think of something, anything. The chance of escape was small and she had no idea how many men would be attacking. She quickly reached for a sword that was on the ground and as she waited for someone to attack.

"Well, why didn't that work on you?" A boy of twelve said behind her.

"Maybe, because I am not human." She said as she spun around. Her eyes locked onto his and she felt as though her heart had stopped for a moment. This confused her a great deal since she looked at least seventeen. She blinked. "Who are you? And why have you attacked my men?"

"Ah, that's not important." He rushed out as he grabbed her arm and pulled her off the road. "Wait here. When everyone is gone, you can come out." He whispered.

"No," She shouted. "I will do no such thing." She didn't like being told what to do, even more so by a child. She was a princess and he was a nobody.

"They will hurt you." He hissed out. "They've been looking for someone like you." He warned her before he moved back to the carriage.

She watched as a group of men searched her carriage. She heard them yell about another fake and smash her ride to pieces. She didn't understand what was going now, but it was clear the boy worked for them in some way. He was paid and the group left.

"Take whatever else you want boy. We've only want the girl."

"Understood." He shouted after them. When it was clear, he momtioned for Sybelle to come out of hiding. She watched him go through her things. She didn't much care what he took. It meant nothing to her.

"Those men," Sybelle said as she glanced towards were the men ran off too. "Did they give a name? Or do you work for anyone that pays?" It came out colder than she had meant it to, but she wasn't use to talking to people. He pocketed something and stood up.

"I do what I need to do to live." He snapped at her. What a rude boy? "Not all of us are born to money."

"That's not fair." She shouted. "I never asked for this life. I have never asked to be a target or part of a war. Those men...they would have hurt me in ways you can't even understand. So, don't think that my life is easy." She hissed out.

"Oh, woe to the princess." He mocked her. "Things are hard in her castle."

"You rude boy." She gasped out. "How dare you speak to me or any woman that way, I should... I should..." She didn't know what she should do. He was a child after all.

"Have me killed?" He sneered. "That sounds like your type." As he started to walk a way, she followed him. "What are doing?" He asked as he stopped moving.

"I am going with you." She said as though that was clear. "I can not stay with my men. That would get me killed. Look," She pointed towards a distant castle. "I am going there, for my safety and to find a way to end this war. The shadows will not win. I will not let them. Help me in this and you can have whatever you wish."

"I'll pass." He said as he left her on the side of the road.

Xxx

Rumplestilskin worried about what become of his sister. He knew that she wasn't really his sister, but she felt like his sister. He wanted to make sure that she was alright. It would be a simple matter to find out. The spell needed to find her was one he knew well. All he needed was to be have a piece of her DNA. Thankfully, she had left behind her hairbrush.

"She'll be fine." Belle said as she watched him worry.

"I know that." He sighed out. "But I also know she's the Lady of the Lake. You may not know this, but she didn't end things well with King Arthur. Plus, she's weak."

"She's a very strong person." Belle pointed out. "She found a way to keep a part of herself under the curse."

"That's true, but still." He smiled. "Never hurts to be careful."

"I think she needs her space.' Belle went on to say.

"And I'll repesect that as long as I know she's safe."

"Who's going to hurt her?" Belle asked as she got a bit upset. "Not everything in this town is out to hurt someone."

"You don't know that." Rumple pointed out. 'Look, if she's fine. I'll let her be. Look, I know you don't like the idea of me using magic, but I just need to check on her. She didn't go to Hooper's place and I worry something may have happened."

"You don't need to worry." Belle said as she saw that he was clearly worried about Sybelle. It was very touching. "But I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you used a small spell to see her for a few moments."

xxx

She looked through her things to see what she had left. She needed to see if there was something that her mother gave her that would help wake her men. She searched and searched but found nothing. She paused after she looked over her things. Her eyes went wide. There was no way that he took _that_. She thought to herself as she panicked. He took the only thing she cared about.

She glanced towards where he had run off to. She would not let him get a way with this. She needed that object back. It was the only thing of value that she owned. She quickly took a piece of paper out and wrote something down. Than, she stood up and moved to free one of the horses. She would be unable to reach him on foot, but by horse it wouldn't be a problem. She glanced at Felix and knew that he would be cross with her.

Sybelle touched her neck and knew that no matter what she had to go after that boy. What he took meant more to her than her own life. She quickly threw herself on the horse and whispered into the ear of the beast. The horse took off with great speed towards the child.

He had been surprised to hear the sound of a horse behind him. He ran as fast as he could, but tripped over a root. He turned in terror to see what was after him. His eyes went wide to find the princess on an unsaddled horse. She frowned at him as she jumped off

her beast and reached down to search him.

"Relax child." She sighed out as she went through his pockets. "I only want the necklace you took. It belonged to my mother. Do you have a mother?" The boy did not answer so she went on. "Well, mine is missing and all I have is this necklace." She found the necklace and fastened it around her neck. She touched the charm around her neck with a deep sadness. "It's all that I really have of her. Listen, you can have anything else I owe, but this...this I most keep. It's very important to me."

"Anything I want?" The boy asked as Sybelle helped him back to his feet.

"Anything." She nodded her head as she made her way back to her horse. "But you must come with me to get it. I've nothing on me here."

"What if I want a kiss from you?" The boy asked as he watched her. Her face was blank for a moment before she started to laugh.

"If you wait a few years, I'll be happy to give you a kiss." She chuckled. "And of course, I'd need your name."

"Malcolm. My name is Malcolm." The boy's blue eyes shined in the light. It was rather cute the way he held up his head like one day he would rule over others. She rather liked that he didn't know his place. It meant that he would never let anyone push him down.

Xxx

Belle watched as Rumple returned with a sleeping Sybelle in his arms. She looked pale and cold. Rumple frowned as he place the girl down. Belle wasn't sure what happened, but she knew that it wasn't good.

"Is she cursed?" Belle asked as she watched him toss a few books around. He was looking for something.

"No, she's not cursed." He said as he looked through one of his books. "I believe that it's something else. It may be a reclaiming spell, with a few changes."

"A reclaiming spell?" Belle didn't understand.

"Yes, it's used to make a person recall why they did something or are with someone." He explained. "I think she used this spell to remind her of who she is."

"That's a good thing." His true love pointed out.

"Yes, if she wakes." He said as he closed his book.

"You mean it's possible that she won't wake up?" Belle felt horrified. No wonder Rumple was worried. Why would someone do this to themselves, let alone anyone else?

"It is possible." He said as he started to mix a potion.

"But if you wake her, if you force the spell to end, won't that hurt her? Won't something bad happen?"

"Yes," He stopped his actions as he thought about all the things that could happen to Sybelle if the spell ended too soon. She could lose everything.

"Maybe, we should wait a few days. If she isn't up, than we can do something. Right now, it's too soon."

"Hm, you know that you are one of the few people that I will ever let speak to me that way." He smiled softly.

"I know." She smiled back at him. "But it's only because you know that I'm only trying to help. Trust me. She'll be fine."

xxx

"Who's the boy?" Felix asked as he watched Sybelle walk towards him. Malcolm noted how tall he was and that he had blondish hair. His face looked flawless and he seemed well kept. Felix stared down at the twelve year old as though trying to see the boy's soul. It made the child nervous.

"I owe him." Sybelle stated as she gave the horse to Felix. "And I need to pay him back."

"Very well." Felix bowed his head. "But I must speak to this boy first."

"Understood." Sybelle gave a sharp nod before stepping back inside her carriage. She poked her head out of the small window. "Just send the boy when your done. I want him to ride with me."

"Well do my princess."

With that, she went back inside her carriage to wait for the boy. Felix waved his hand about to point out what his men should be doing. They soon followed his orders and he turned his attention to Malcolm. The boy was in awe of how this man who looked no older than Sybelle.

"I'm in my sixties." Felix said as he eyed the boy. "Possible older. I stopped counting birthdays for a while." He explained. "That woman is my princess and unlike her, I do not see a reason to hold back because someone is a child. If you cast a spell on me again, I will cut you down. If you do anything to her, I will cut you down. See, I've one trait that makes me stand out above all the other knights. There is no limit to my loyalty. No matter the task, even if it is dark and twisted, I will do it."

"You mean to scare me." The boy pointed out. "But she won't let you hurt me. You said so yourself."

"There's a lot that can happen to someone in these woods." Felix smirked. "If anything were to attack, it would be understandable if I couldn't save you."

xxx

Archie held his breath as Regina stepped into his office. It seemed that just when he removed one emotional confused woman he got another one. Regina glanced around his office and took a seat. She straightened her back as she waited for him to sit down. He didn't understand why she was here. Could it be that like Sybelle she wanted to change?

"I want my son back." Regina said in a tight voice. "I can't just force him back to me. I need to show him...that I can be a good mother. I can love and take care of him. I don't need to be the evil queen."

"Well, we all have the albility to change if we went to." Archie stated as he took off his glasses. He cleaned them off before putting them back on. "But there are things...that link us to bad behaviors. You would have to give them up in order to truly change."

"What do you mean?" Regina narrowed her eyes. She didn't like where this was going.

"Regina," He took a deep breath of air. "If you want me to help you, you're going to have to give up magic. At least for a little while." He rushed out before she could start screaming at him.

She seemed conflicted. All she had was her magic. Without it, what would she have? She would have nothing, nothing at all. A great panic entered her being as she tried to think of what to do. As if sensing her struggle, Archie opened his mouth to go on.

"It could help prove to Henry that you're changing, that you aren't evil, that you can be good."

"No magic at all?" Even though they had lived in a land without magic, she hadn't lived without magic. She still used it from time to time to get what she wanted. She wasn't even sure if she knew how to live without magic, but she couldn't keep living without Henry. The look he gave her broke whatever was left of her heart. She sighed deeply as she slightly agreed to give up magic in order to get back her son.

Xxx

"You said that you're going to end the war." Malcolm said after an hour of silence. Sybelle peeked out the window to see the castle grow larger. "How will you do that?"

"Magic." She said simply with a heavy heart.

"You don't seem too pleased." The boy pointed out. "Seem to not want to do this."

"I do and I do not." She said as she finally looked at the boy. "What I know of magic is very little compared to others, but I do know this. Nothing in all the realms is free. There is a cost. Some spells have very little that needs to be paid and nothing...well others take so much from you that it's like losing yourself. The magic that we will be doing today...will take much from me. It will be like a fever. It will take very little at first and than nearly kill me at times before I can over come it."

"How can you be sure? And why would you go through something like that?" Malcolm questioned.

"I love my people." She answered in a small voice. "And seers from many realms told me my future...it is a hard future, but I was told to have hope. A great light and darkness will found the route to their births tonight. I will be their mother. Though how true that is...is a matter of debate. Seers say one thing and it can mean five things."

"That is why you so more than one." The boy reasoned.

"Yes," She nodded her head.

"And your men...do they know the price?" He asked as he watched her peek out the window once more. She kept looking at the one named Felix. Malcolm wondered if it was because she thought the boy looked handsome. Felix was tall, held no scars of any kind, and seemed good looking enough.

"They have some idea...but not much." She swallowed hard. "Felix knows that he will and I will pay heavily for this. He will most likely be banished for this and I...will be hurt in other ways."

"Is he your lover?" Malcolm asked.

"Hahaha," She covered her mouth as she started laughing. "No, haha, he is just a dear friend. His lover is someone else and I believe she will be very cross. She may even try to kill me." Sybelle straightened herself.

"Will that be your punishment?"

"My punishment is far worse than that." Sybelle chuckled. "Once the Shadow War is over...my family can focus on the other war we are in. It is that war that will be my punishment."

"Can't you end both today?"

"No, they are two different matters. You see-" Sybelle stopped explaining when she felt her ride stop. She could hear Felix shouting orders. She frowned to herself as she bit her lower lip. "Well, we should get moving. We should not keep the wizard Zoso waiting. Tonight, he will become a very important man." She said as her door opened. She reached under her chair to pull out a blade that looked very old and dull. There was writing on it, but the poor boy could not read it.

"The Dark Blade." He heard one of the men gasp out.

"Glad to see that you were able to get it." Felix frowned as Sybelle past the knife to him.

"Dark being needs a dark blade." She tried to smirk, but couldn't bring herself to do so.

"We are doing the right thing." Felix whispered to her as the two walked towards the castle. "One dark person is far better than a host of dark shadows running about."

"I know." She nodded her head. "And this blade will give the holding control over him." She glanced at the knife. It felt wrong enslaving this wizard to save her people. It felt wrong turning him into a dark beast. It felt wrong and yet she had to do it. This was the only way to save thousands of lives.


End file.
